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If you say "2," they'll just ask for the bonus check stub or electronic deposit. And they won't believe you, anyway.
If you say "1," they'll probably find out. HR people are well connected in industries. They may have a contact at your current employer.
If you do "3," you are being truly fraudulent. If you are hired, your new employer would have cause to terminate you, if they ever find out the truth (and they may).
It's best to be honest about such things. I can't believe you lied about that. You know that they have ways of finding these things out. Plus, it's just not ethical. To fudge a little bit may be understandable, but you flat out lied about your compensation.
If you tell them you lied, they won't hire you, for obvious reasons.
And it's people like the OP, who lie about their prior employment, education, experience, etc. that lead to companies using draconian verification schemes like this. You can be honest with a company about what you make and negotiate for a higher salary. If they're not willing to offer what you want, then you don't have to work there.
I've seen this subject posted before and I've read up on it quite a bit. Here's my situation, I currently make $73,000 /yr in Houston, TX and am on my third interview with another company that's asking for a recent paystub as one of the documents to bring with me for the onsite interview (Austin, TX).
When I initially talked with the recruiter he asked what my current salary was, and I said $84,000 (because I know this will determine if they lowball me or not, and it will weed out job offers I'm not willing to move for). I also said I'd be looking for a bit over $100,000 to be willing to move from the industry giant Houston and a great company to a new location. He asked if I would be willing to look around the $90 - 100k range and I said "well, maybe, depending on how good the benefits are and I would have to hit the high side of that". The fact that they called me for another interview shows that they are capable of giving me what I want I believe.
So fast forward and phone interview with the recruiter, a technical phone interview with one of the engineers at the company, and now I accepted an invite for an onsite interview on Monday (9/21). They asked me to bring an array of documents such as a copy of my degree, an application form, etc. But they also asked for a "recent paystub (for compensation verification)".
Now I'm trying to decide how to proceed, as far as I've researched, here are my options I'm aware of:
1. Deny them the paystub (say something like "salary compensation information is considered confidential by my current employer)
2. Give them the paystub (Justify my salary exaggeration by saying that was with bonuses)
3. Forge the paystub
As much as I don't want to be shady, I know if I show them my true salary that HR will have a certain percentage they're "allowed" to give and they will lowball me. I know I'm not willing to relocate for anything less than $90,000 and I'm shooting for 95,000. I'm not overly concerned with them turning me down because I have a great job where I am, and that's why the offer would have to be substantially better for me to be willing to move.
What is everyone's thoughts?
Sometimes they just want to know if you are employed. And you are right, they can get to their usual bull****" that we have a pay structure and pay as per that" once they see your pay .
And never take any advice that relates to forging documents.
And it's people like the OP, who lie about their prior employment, education, experience, etc. that lead to companies using draconian verification schemes like this. You can be honest with a company about what you make and negotiate for a higher salary. If they're not willing to offer what you want, then you don't have to work there.
I agree. I've never been asked to produce a paycheck stub...but honestly, one conversation with me, and you'd know I'm not lying about my prior salary or anything. Plus...as I said before...the HR people all know each other in my industry, so they can find out and verify whatever they need to.
I don't think I'd produce a paycheck stub (at least wtihout redacting some of the info), but I would just tell the employer that I'm uncomfortable with that. We can then part ways, if they insist. I don't WANT to work for a company that starts out assuming I'm lying.
They have no right to your previous compensation info. If a potential employer asked me for that they would no longer be a potential employer.
What matters is what you're looking for and what they offer, what you previously made has nothing to do with it.
This is true. Except for a history of compensation. Prospective employers look at that to see if you changed jobs previously to better your circumstances. If you took a decrease in pay at a prior job, for example, that might flag you were fired or laid off. A lower compensation can be explained, though. You take a lower salary for the chance at advancement, maybe, or for better benefits or a retirement plan.
And it's people like the OP, who lie about their prior employment, education, experience, etc. that lead to companies using draconian verification schemes like this. You can be honest with a company about what you make and negotiate for a higher salary. If they're not willing to offer what you want, then you don't have to work there.
Agreed. According to the OP, he doesn't even need the job. So if he lied in that situation, what would he do if he were truly desperate?
A company asking for something is not being unethical or dishonest.
They aren't asking they are demanding something that they have no right to. Companies and managers use to and occasionally still do ask women for sexual favors in exchange for consideration during hiring. Just because they are hiring doesn't give them the right to demand whatever sensitive and private information they want and if they do I think applicants have every right to lie to them.
Or another analogy if I am a POW and being tortured for information I will lie to them as well.
I've seen this subject posted before and I've read up on it quite a bit. Here's my situation, I currently make $73,000 /yr in Houston, TX and am on my third interview with another company that's asking for a recent paystub as one of the documents to bring with me for the onsite interview (Austin, TX).
When I initially talked with the recruiter he asked what my current salary was, and I said $84,000 (because I know this will determine if they lowball me or not, and it will weed out job offers I'm not willing to move for). I also said I'd be looking for a bit over $100,000 to be willing to move from the industry giant Houston and a great company to a new location. He asked if I would be willing to look around the $90 - 100k range and I said "well, maybe, depending on how good the benefits are and I would have to hit the high side of that". The fact that they called me for another interview shows that they are capable of giving me what I want I believe.
So fast forward and phone interview with the recruiter, a technical phone interview with one of the engineers at the company, and now I accepted an invite for an onsite interview on Monday (9/21). They asked me to bring an array of documents such as a copy of my degree, an application form, etc. But they also asked for a "recent paystub (for compensation verification)".
Now I'm trying to decide how to proceed, as far as I've researched, here are my options I'm aware of:
1. Deny them the paystub (say something like "salary compensation information is considered confidential by my current employer)
2. Give them the paystub (Justify my salary exaggeration by saying that was with bonuses)
3. Forge the paystub
As much as I don't want to be shady, I know if I show them my true salary that HR will have a certain percentage they're "allowed" to give and they will lowball me. I know I'm not willing to relocate for anything less than $90,000 and I'm shooting for 95,000. I'm not overly concerned with them turning me down because I have a great job where I am, and that's why the offer would have to be substantially better for me to be willing to move.
What is everyone's thoughts?
If they want your paystubs, tell them you want to see the salaries for every employee on the team. This is none of their business, and if its a requirement for getting a job, I'd run away as fast as you can. This is only a bad omen for the potential work environment.
Again, to the people being very critical about me exaggerating my salary, I'm not looking for harsh criticism, just advice, opinions, or people's past stories with this situation. I stick to my guns when I say this is the only way to achieve the pay I'm looking for, it's what I believe I am worth with my experience and what I'm willing to accept as a salary if I were to change companies and cities. This is the first time I've been asked for proof of income, but as I said, it wasn't direct, it was just noted in the documents I should bring to the interview (very cut and paste) so they always do it.
They are a technology company so I assume me not giving them the stub may be indicative of me holding back other secrets which they won't have. I don't have any other dark secrets regarding my employment so when they do a background check, everything will be clean.
And to answer your question about keeping you updated, I certainly will let everyone know what I choose and what the results are, the interview is Monday morning. They booked a hotel for me the night before, and I will be interviewing with 1 recruiter, then a panel of 2 managers and 2 engineers. Then a second panel of 3 engineers.
The subject of pay will likely only get brought up the first 30 minutes with the recruiter, I assume they don't want to talk specifically about my compensation in front of other fellow engineers I may be working with.
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